Dear Friends,

Several weeks before Thanksgiving, Diane and I met at Southpoint Mall for a quick dinner. It was one of those days when she was at her work all day and I had an evening meeting to get back to and the thought of having someone else deal with preparing dinner was too inviting.

I parked on the upper level and walked through Sears to get to the food court. I was immediately confronted with a display of Christmas trees and a variety of reindeer and bears all lit up and ready to grace someone’s front lawn. I walked out of that store and into the Mall itself and saw that all the decorations were already in place. Lights were hanging from the ceiling, garland was strung, and the Christmas tree was in place and already shining brightly with a large throne like seat for Santa sitting right in front.

Every year it seems the decorations go up a few days, or weeks, earlier. We have come to call it, “rushing the season,” and often we look at the premature decorating with a sense of disdain. With the increased commercialization of Christmas and the motivation to get people to buy more and to do it earlier, it isn’t hard to understand why those who value the season for its real meaning would be upset.

But putting the commercialization aside, and focusing on the real meaning of Advent and Christmas, who would not want to “rush” such a season? It is the celebration of God’s amazing mercy and grace shown in the sending of his beloved Son to save us from our sins. It is the celebration of the greatest gift of love that the world will ever know. Who doesn’t want to “rush” into celebrating such an incredible reality? Who doesn’t want to “rush” into God’s love?

I think this year, rather than being frustrated by those who use Christmas as a commercial opportunity, I’m going to take advantage of their decorations and use them as an invitation to “rush” toward God’s grace in Jesus Christ.

Together with you in Christ’s service,